


In a Dark Place

by The_Engineer



Category: Torchwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-11
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-01-24 07:52:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1597301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Engineer/pseuds/The_Engineer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone is hunting down and killing the survivors of the Canary Wharf Battle,  Will the member of Torchwood Cardiff be able to put their differences aside and protect one of their own or will they let him suffer his fate?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this when I was feeling less than cheerful. I might add/change the ending at a later time (like a choose your own adventure). Read at your own peril.

The alarm goes off at 6am sharp everyday. Ianto really does not need an alarm anymore hasn't for months, not since the battle, he barely sleeps anyway and when he does is woken by nightmares. He is already awake when the alarm goes off, the same feeling of dread that has not left him since his suspension, has become worse now that he has gone back to work. Routine, Ianto relies on routine to get him through the day anymore. Ianto did not think it could get any worse working for Torchwood and trying to help Lisa, he was so wrong. It was worse than being invisible like before, now his every move was under scrutiny, the malicious stares and the hostility has become unbearable. Even Tosh, who Ianto considered the nicest of the team, radiated anger towards him. No one spoke to him unless it was an order barked with the minimal of words, rarely was their eye contact, even Jack had refused to look at him. The reports to be filed were just dropped on his desk. Or an address written on a post it note as to where to stage a crime scene, if he was lucky they might tell him what happened, usually he just had to go there at night, fight off whatever creature was attracted to the blood and hope he had all the necessary items. Ianto had been putting in 12 to 18 hour days, and was exhausted, but what else could he do? He worked for Torchwood and it was either retcon or a bullet. Even in his most suicidal moments Ianto refuses to give up his memories, Torchwood had taken so much from him; he would not allow them to take those as well.

When Ianto could not sleep he would get up and make some food for the team for the following day, they didn't realize that for the last month, since he had gotten back from his suspension, Ianto had made all their lunches and the sweets for coffee. It cost him several hundred dollar to get all the right ingredients but Ianto did not mind, it gave him a chance to get out and talk to the small shop keepers about different meats and recipes. 

Yesterday he had made antipasti salad for lunch to go with the grinder sandwiches he had made. Although he did not eat with the team he did overhear that they had enjoyed his lunches. Later when he went into the conference room to clean up there was still a little salad left over, so Ianto took a few bites then went back to work.  
He also tried his hand at biscotti for coffee earlier and was pleased to note that the tin had been raided with only crumbs remaining.  
His usual morning routine consisted of showering, maybe something for breakfast, but lately that was a luxury, a quick glance at the newspaper and then off to work. Ianto still took the London Times, and noticed that the muggings and deaths from overdoses were on the rise. But one death in particular stood out to Ianto; while the name was changed he recognized the face. Taking a deep breath so as not to panic Ianto got up for the table and grabbing his coat and key headed to the office, he would be a little earlier than usual, but he had to check something.

Coming up from his bunker Jack walk to look over the hub. He was not surprised to see Ianto in early (Jack more often than not wish he had gotten rid of the traitor after the cyber women incident, but a tiny, very very tiny part of him though he could not execute someone whom he was currently using for sex, perhaps later when he became bored with Ianto he would retcon him. Which Jack admitted might be sooner rather than later with the luscious Gwen around.  
Jack was however wondering what Ianto was doing at Tosh’s computer. It made Jack angry to think Ianto would so brazenly use Tosh’s computer when he was under restriction.

Seeing red Jack practically ran down the stairs and jerked Ianto’s arm off the keyboard, “What the hell do you think you are doing!?! “

I anto so engrossed in his search did not hear Jack thundering down the stairs until he yelled and practically pulled his arm out of its socket. He was used to seeing Jack angry at him, even when Jack would come down into the archives, when everyone else had gone home. He was no longer the flirtatious and gentle lover from before, now he barely spoke unless it was a demand and the sex had become so rough that Ianto started to dread the contact. But for a brief period of time Ianto did exist to Jack even if it was just for some casual sex. Ianto never said a word, no more moans of pleasure or pain, if Jack noticed he did not say anything. Ianto would pretend that Jack was no longer mad at him, that he was enjoying himself while Jack fucked him raw; it’s what saw him through Jack’s treatment.

“There was a murder in London, I was just checking up on it.” Ianto stammered.

“Leave it and get back to work.” And with that Jack turned on his heal and went back to his office.

Ianto abandoned his search, maybe Tosh would help him later, something was not right but Ianto, while good at computers, did not have the excellent hacking skills of Tosh.

Later in the afternoon when Ianto was bringing coffee and his newest baking creation (orange, espresso chocolate chip cookies) around, he approached Tosh.  
Clearing his throat with a slight cough, “Tosh, could you help me look up some names, there is something suspicious about their deaths but I can’t get into their files.”

Tosh taking her coffee and not looking at Ianto, “I’m too busy at the moment, leave the names and maybe later next week, if I get time, will look into it.”

Ianto sets the list of names by her computer then quietly departs down to the archives until his shift is over, glad it is the weekend and for once he is not on weevil duty.  
Ianto actually leaves at 6pm, glad another week is over. While not relishing spending the weekend alone, at least he made it out of the hub without Jack assaulting him. Ianto told himself that it could not go on like this and hoped Jack would move on to Gwen whom he obviously was making no mistake in his interest to bed her. 

Monday

The rift alarm went off earlier than usual; Jack was out of the hub at 7am. By the time he had returned at 10 am, with a weevil in tow, another alarm had gone off this time taking all of the team except Tosh to coordinate. The team spent all of the morning and afternoon on rift hunts. Gwen, Jack and Owen were on the way back to the hub and, while no one said out loud, they were looking forward to afternoon coffee and wondering what delicious delight Ianto had brought for lunch (they all assume it was take away. Gwen contemplated asking where their last lunch was from as she wanted to bring some home to Rhys.) 

“Jack! You need to get back to the hub right away!” It was Tosh and she sounded in a panic.

“Tosh what is wrong? Are you okay” Gwen noticed how scared Tosh sounded.

“Just get back here fast!” It sounded like Tosh was holding back tears.

Jack gunned the SUV, ran several red lights and was back at the hub in less than fifteen minutes. Parking in the garage they all ran into the hub guns drawn. Tosh was at her computer shaking and crying, her face white as a sheet. Seeing Tosh’s obvious distress, Jack ran to her, throwing his arms around the petit Japanese lady. A sob escaped Tosh and Jack could feel her shaking. Tosh stepped out of Jack embrace and on trembling legs walked over to her computer.

“Ianto asked me to look into these list of names, he thought their death were suspicious. Every name, some under alias, were all survivor of the Battle of Canary Wharf, they all worked for Torchwood London. Someone has murdered every single surviving person who worked for Torchwood London! If I had just looked at them sooner….” Another sobs escaped Tosh’s lips. “Jack they are all dead, all 26 remaining survivors and I cannot get a hold of Ianto, he is the LAST ONE! I have been to his flat and tried calling his cell phone, I even checked the CCTV camera but it only shows him entering his flat Friday evening!”

Before Jack could start forming a plan of action, a video flickers on Tosh’s computer screen, it was grainy like the CCTV cameras but clear enough to see a body stripped down to their torn pants, tied to a chair with a bag over his head. There was blood, and blackened bruises covering the torso and arms. Jack did not have to guess who was under the hood. He has seen that pale naked torso many times. 

“Tosh, try to trace where that video is coming from.” Tosh’s fingers fly over the keyboard as her eyes never leave the screen…..

A man dressed all in black came into the room, Tosh points at the time stamp in the corner; it was dated Friday 9 pm, over 2 days ago. The team watched in shock as the soldier starts to beat on the body, hitting it so hard that the chair falls over, undeterred the soldier kick the body as it lays on the ground. Jack can feel his breath constrict in his throat, as he remembers a time so long ago, watching his best friend suffers at the hands of monsters, now he is living it all over again watching Ianto being tortured. Jack was getting angry watching them torture Ianto. He may have not loved or treated Ianto well, but not like this, please, not like this…..Jack thinks.

The video skipped, the next time stamp reads Saturday 4 am. Now there were four soldiers, holding Ianto down on a table, another was pouring water over the hood. They watch as Ianto tries to fight, his body jerking. They see a soldier punch Ianto in the solar plexus, he body doubling up in pain. Gwen could feel a lump in her throat; everyone could hear Tosh sobs increase in volume and frequency, and Owen swearing under his breath.

Sunday 11am, just a close up of a face lying in a pool of blood on concrete, blood trickling from the nose, ear and mouth, a gash in the hairline bleeding into an unfocused eye. The screen goes black.

Jack puts his arm around Tosh; they are all too stunned after what they had just witnessed on the video. Although Jack had not forgiven Ianto, he did not want the young Welshman to die while being tortured. 

Owen may have suggested several times that Ianto would be better off dead but after seeing the video silently said, I didn’t mean it, I didn’t want him to actually die.

“Were you able to find out who sent the video Tosh?” Jack asks quietly. Tosh only shakes her head, unable to speak.

“Why would someone want to kill the survivors of Torchwood London?” Gwen asks quietly. 

Jack’s cell phone rang making everyone jump. After a few minutes Jack hung up his phone. “That was detective Swanson, they have a suspicious death they want us to check out,” Every mind immediately though of Ianto. 

This time they all went into the SUV and made record time to the crime scene. Once on the scene Jack bent down to remove the sheet covering the body. It wasn’t Ianto; Jack was both relieved and sadden. What were the chances he would see Ianto again, dead or alive he asks himself. He was sure whoever had taken Ianto would hide the body so it would never be found.

They quickly checked over the crime scene and determined it was not Torchwood related. Jack saw Gwen talking to Andy and sauntered up to them.

“So we found this guy beaten to a pulp, god it was awful Gwen, I haven’t seen anything like it, I mean it really makes you question humanity…..” Andy started turning whiter all the while talking about it. “I mean he wasn’t a bad chap, no arrest or anything like that, just a guy who worked at the tourist office on Mermaid Bay.”

Both Gwen and Jack gasped. “Andy, where did they take the body,” it was Jack asking.

“What body?” Andy asked confused.

Exasperated Jack takes a deep breath before responding, “The body of the tourist office worker.”

“Oh…..he’s at University hospital, he was barely alive when the ambulance took him away, but they….”Andy watched as Jack and Gwen ran to the SUV, where Tosh and Owen were already waiting. The SUV took off in a squeal of tires and smoke as it sped off into the night like the hounds of hell were on its tail.

“Jack what the hell has gotten into you?!”Owen shouts over the roar of the engine as they careen down the road.

“Ianto might be alive, he is at University hospital.” Gwen says gripping the seat as Jack takes another corner.

They arrive at the emergency entrance and ran inside the hospital. Owen flashes his Torchwood ID and demands the nurse tell him where the John Doe, brought in a little while ago with severe injuries was. 

“He is in surgery….” But before the nurse could finish Owen had strode off towards the elevators the rest of the team following.

It took a little over a quarter of an hour before Owen was allowed to see the preliminary diagnosis. As he was known from his previous work at the hospital, Owen was able to access the restricted zone and gowning up, entered the surgery currently being preform on Ianto. The rest of the team sat in the waiting area. After over an hour 

Owen came out.“It’s Ianto. He has severe trauma, it is going to take hours of surgery, he has a blood clot in his brain, both lungs are punctured and a torn kidney, not to mention the various broken bones. “Owen looks up at the team. “They do not expect him to survive; there is too much damage and blood loss. If he by some miracle survives the surgeries”…Owen shrugs….” there is no telling how much brain damage he will suffer from, or if he will even regain consciousness. It will be hours before they are done. I suggest we go home, they will page me the moment his condition changes.”

And with that Owen walks past his colleagues towards the elevators. He does not want them to see the tears threating to spill down his cheeks. Sure he gave Ianto hell, but to see the after effects of what he saw on the video was even too much for the snarky and bitter medic. They all quietly turn and follow Owen, Jack has his arms around Tosh and Gwen. Tosh is quietly crying, Gwen is in a state of shock, she is…or rather was… still angry at Ianto, but she never wanted him tortured or to die. Jack thoughts flow the same as Gwen, anger at Ianto, and for the people who tortured him. 

Nine hours later……a phone rings

“Jack, its Owen. Ianto survived the surgery and has been moved to ICU. He is not out of the woods yet…You can visit him in a few hours.” 

The phone goes dead. Unknown to Jack and the rest of the team, Owen had gone back to the hospital later in the evening, and had stayed observing the surgery until the early dawn of morning.

Jack had not been to bed all evening, aside from not needing much sleep he could not get the video out of his mind. Every time he closed his eyes he saw Ianto’s face trickling blood from every orifice. 

Tosh spent the rest of the evening curled up crying and rocking out of fear, the images triggering her PTSD at the hands of UNIT before Jack rescued her. He phone rang several times in the early morning, then there was loud thumping on the door, it wasn’t until Owen and jack were facing her in her flat did she start to scream. Owen gave her a sedative and placing her on his lap cuddled her until she stopped crying and shaking, all the while telling her it would be okay and that he would stay with her. Jack left the two of them and headed to the hospital. He had talked to Gwen earlier and told her to stay home with Rhys.

At the hospital, jack was allowed into Ianto’s ICU room. There were so many machines attached to Ianto, one to help him breathe, a heart rate monitor, saline drip. Then there were the bandages, covering him from head to foot. Jack read the clipboard just to make sure he was seeing the right person.

A nurse came in to check on him and the monitors.

“Are you family then?”

Jack smiles and shakes his head, “Boss”

“Oh, poor thing, we are all rooting for him at the nursing station. “ She says as she smooth out Ianto’s bed sheet. She smiles at Jack then leaves.

Jack pulls up a chair and looks at Ianto. Carefully Jack slides his hand under Ianto’s bandage hand and gently strokes his palm with his finger. Jack stays with Ianto for three hours before his phone rings. He stands and leans over to place a feather light kiss on Ianto’s bandage cheek. As he leave the hospital.

He meets Gwen at the hub, Owen was still at Tosh’s, Jack explained what had happened and sequestered himself in his office and made a few phone calls, trying to trace the video footage, and answering the question echoing in his head since last night, “why would someone set out to kill the London survivors?” 

The rest of the evening went by uneventful, Jack allowed Gwen to leave early as he wanted to go back to the hospital and check on Ianto, even though Owen already told him there was no change in his condition.

Jack stopped to buy some flowers for Ianto’s room before arriving at the hospital. Walking into Ianto’s room he could tell immediately something was very wrong. All of the machines were turned off, and to his horror, there was a red stain spreading across the pristine white sheet covering Ianto. Jack lifted up the sheet to see several fresh stab wounds on Ianto’s chest. Jack ran to the door and pressed the emergency button summoning a nurse who immediately set out restarting the machines and summoned more assistance. After what seemed like to Jack ages a doctor and another nurse arrived, but Jack new it was too late. There was no heartbeat, Ianto had stopped breathing. Jack stood there stunned; if only I did not stop for flowers I could have been here and prevented this…..

As the blood stain spreads Jack thinks he will never see Ianto’s shy smile or hear his retorts about sexual harassment. Or feel Ianto move under him while they made love. Or all the tender moments they shared together. Jack will not know the love Ianto could have given him, for the short time they had together, or the shared nights of understanding love and compassion that Jack will need in the future. Jack felt the loss so keenly, why didn’t I realize before how much he meant to me! Jack felt a loneliness and sorrow creep over him like a shadows that follow the setting sun.

Jack watched as the nurse pulled the sheet over Ianto’s head and the doctor assigned a time of death. The police would be called and an investigation started to find who murdered Ianto Jones. Jack heads back to the hub. As the door opens he can see they are all there, Tosh, Owen and Gwen all sitting on the sofa. Tosh looks down and starts to cry, Owen looks away to the side, Gwen just stares at him. Jack shakes his head, Gwen gets off the sofa and goes to Jack and hugs him.

Jack’s phone rings…..unknown number……..

“I did it for you Jack, I did it for us, now they are all dead the bastards. We lost Rose because of them and now with Jones dead, he was the last one, I said I would make them all pay for her death.”

“Mickey…what have you done…..?”

END……


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate Ending if you want Ianto to live.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I could not decide on weather or not Ianto would live. This is the alternative.

Tosh taking her coffee and not looking at Ianto, “I’m too busy at the moment, leave the names and maybe later next week, if I get time, will look into it.”

Ianto sets the list of names by her computer then quietly departs down to the archives until his shift is over, glad it is the weekend and for once he is not on weevil duty.

Tosh munches on her cookie and is looking over the names when a rift alert sends Jack, Owen and Gwen out on call. Tosh tracks the errant weevils and breaths easy when the team captured and released them back to the sewers. Jack mentioned something about getting lunch for take away and would be back at the hub in half an hour.

Tosh had been piqued by the names, she sees why Ianto had been interested, the deaths were mysterious. It wasn’t until she started to really dig deep that she had discovered the horrifying truth.

“Jack! I need you back at the hub, now.” Tosh hoped they were close. Tosh used the hub internal sensors to make sure Ianto was still in the archives and he was.

“We will be there in less than 20 minutes, everything okay Tosh?”

“No, Jack I’m afraid….” Tosh wasn’t sure how to explain it.

“is there an intruder? Did Ianto do something?” Jack asks furious, he should have killed the archivist when he had the chance. He won’t make that mistake again. Jack has already decided that Ianto will be retconned tonight. _If Tosh feels unsafe with him in the hub_ …

“No!” Tosh shouts, “I mean yes it’s Ianto but not what you think, just get here fast please forget about lunch.”

In the archives…..

“Ianto!” Jack yells.

Ianto jumps, Jack rarely talks to him through the coms unless it is something bad. Ianto closes his eyes scarred Jack is going to ask him to ‘stay late.’

“Sir?” Ianto asks hesitantly wondering what he had done wrong this time. He was in the archives filing, what could he possibly have done?

“Where are you?” Jack sound angry.

“archives, sir.” Ianto replies quietly.

“stay there until I come for you, do not leave the archives for any reason, understand.”

“yes sir.” Ianto sits in down in a chair shaking. _This is it, I should run, Jack is either going to kill or retcon me._ Tears started to slide down his cheeks. He had tried so hard to make up putting the team in danger, he keeps quiet and out of their way, but makes sure they have what they need, that supplies are stocked….what more can he do? And that is when it hit him. _I don’t want to die._

Ianto gets up, he knows he chances are slim to none, but he will try. He won’t wait here for Jack to kill or retcon him. He will run. Ianto knows he is at a disadvantage his coat with his wallet and keys are upstairs, he doesn’t want Tosh alarmed so he decided to go without. He knows how to break into his own flat, he can get some spare cash and credit cards then run like hell. It means leaving his car behind but if it is his life or his car…..

Ianto gets up and runs to the garage. He hears the SUV come barreling in and hurls himself behind a car. He watches as Jack and the others leave the SUV guns drawn.

Ianto runs out onto the street, then slowly walks and dodges the CCTV cameras, he is so scarred he does not notice the white SUV following him.

Jack and the others enter the hub guns drawn, “Tosh!” Jack yells then sees her at her computer frantically typing away.

“You’re too late! He left! Damn It Jack! He was in the archives, you should have not said anything.”

“what are you talking about Tosh, we thought you were in danger?” Everyone was looking at the frantic Japanese women typing at her computer.

“I’m not in danger, IANTO IS!!! Jack he ran after you talked to him, you have to find him, now, before it’s too late….” Tosh was screaming at Jack.

“Tosh calm down and te…” Jack tried to soothingly.

“No Jack, there isn’t time, go find Ianto NOW! HE IS IN DANGER!”

Jack didn’t hesitate, he may be angry at the younger man but he wasn’t going to let anything happen to him. Jack, Owen and Gwen turned and ran back to the SUV while Tosk talked to them.

“Ianto gave me a list of names this morning asking me to check on them. 26 names, people who have died violently and mysteriously. Do you know what they have in common, they all worked at Torchwood One. Even those who had taken retcon and were living under alias were murdered. Ianto is the only one left Jack. He left just a few minutes ago I think he is being followed by a white SUV, turn right.” Jack sped up blowing through red lights looking for a white SUV or Ianto running.

“I found him, he is on New George Street.”

Jack gunned the SUV and turned on New George Street and that’s when he saw him. Ianto was running right towards them. Jack stopped the SUV and got out. He could see a white SUV chasing Ianto. Ianto saw the team then skidded to a stop. Jack was about to yell when Ianto turned and started running in the opposite direction, but it was too late the white SUV was barreling down the road. Ianto looked between the two fates and which of the lesser evils to choose. He was trapped. He saw Jack and Owen draw their guns and the mysterious white SUV also had their window down with a pair of guns pointing out of it.

Ianto turned and started to run into a courtyard when the first shot hit him in the shoulder causing him to stumble. Ianto could hear yelling and gun fire being exchanged. Ducking low he ran towards the courtyard, another three bullets hit him one in the back ,one in the knee, and one grazing his the back of his head, causing him to fall and scraping his hands and knees. Ianto whimpered and tried to crawl to safety leaving a blood trail. He tucks himself near the side of the building and with bleeding hands tries to put pressure on his wounds but the blood just seeps between his fingers. There is blood running down his face and into his eyes distorting his vision.

A shadow over takes him and he looks up to see Jack standing there with his gun still smoking, Ianto starts to shakes as tears roll down his face. He tried, he tells himself, Ianto eyes close as Jack bends down. 

Ianto slowly regained consciousness feeling a hand stroking his, the lights are bright and he tries to turn his head away but pain shots through his body. Someone had gotten up and turned off the lights then went back to sitting down and stroking his hand.

“Ianto?” came the soft American voice.

Ianto was confused, why didn’t Jack finish the job? He was standing over him when he lost consciousness. Maybe he was going to be retconned instead. Ianto head started to pound and his heart beat increased, his EKG machine was starting to sound frantic.

“Hey, easy, It’s okay Ianto. No one is going to hurt you.” Jack stroked his hand some more to try and calm him down.

“We caught them, the men in the white SUV that were trying to kill you. You’re safe. We have you in a private room with your own personal and dare I say sexy, 24 hour guard.”

Jack watched and saw the corners of Ianto turn up for a moment.

“Tosh found the connection with the names. We are pretty certain we got all of them but just to make sure for a short while I will be your own personal, devilishly handsome, body guard.”

That got another small smile from Ianto, but Jack could still feel the sorrow radiating off the young Welshman.

“Try and get some more rest, I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

“thank you,” came the soft reply. This time it was Jack’s turn to smile, and he stood up and kissed Ianto’s forehead.

Ianto eyes closed and soon he was back to sleep.

Jack watched Ianto sleep grateful to the powers that be that he/they would be getting a second chance. Sure Jack was angry to begin with and yes in anger he thought about killing and retconning Ianto, but when Ianto’s life was in serious danger from an outside source…..That is when Jack realized that Ianto was important to him. That they needed time to learn to trust each other again, that in the near future Ianto was going to play an important part in Jack’s life.


End file.
